RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Today, the Virginia Health Department released the FBI’s facial approximations of three women and five men, whose remains were discovered in central Virginia and have yet to be identified.
The oldest is of a black woman found in 1972 in York County off Walter Mill Road, near a reservoir. She’s said to be between 25 and 45 years old.
The most recent remains found are of a Hispanic man between 25 and 35, found in Henrico County, off Wales Drive in Highland Springs, in 2014. His death is being investigated as a homicide.
“We believe the victim had been there since at least the summer of 2013, and possibly may have been at Jumpology sometime during the previous year,” said Henrico Detective Matt Rosser.
In total, 283 unidentified remains have been found in Virginia. Due to their condition, facial approximations can only be made from some of the remains found.
Virginia Department of Health Investigator for the Central District, Laura Newell says,”Our goal is to get all of our unidentified skulls to have a facial approximation like these. Some skulls are so fragmented that we can’t make a facial approximation because pieces are missing.”
With so little to go on, investigators are using everything they can to get the word out to find a match.
For example, a 1988 case in Caroline County where the remains of two Hispanic men believed to be related, were found on the side of I-95, along with two pairs of cowboy boots, two baseball caps, and a leather belt engraved with the word ‘silvano’.
Lieutenant John Ruffin with the Virginia State Police says, “Since that time we have run records of any vehicles that have come up missing that have come up negative. We’ve had several tests done on the items found and now we’re reaching out to the public.”
The remains of two women and a man in Stafford county as well as another man found along the York River were also found.
To find details on all the facial approximations, click here.
If you recognize any of them, you’re asked to contact law enforcement.
